Crystal Shard
by Xardion
Summary: Part four of Shattered Reflection, Broken Mirror and Sealed Glass. Ky and Millia's relationship begins to peak. Please R


Disclaimer: I do not own Guilty Gear or any related games.

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_AN: I've decided to do this on in a different format than the other three. That reminds me, it would be better if you read the first three before this so that you know what's going on. If you don't want to or have read it already, than go right ahead and enjoy._

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_**Crystal Shard**_

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_**Ky POV**_

_'She sure takes her time.'_

I had been standing outside her apartment for some time now, with my car lightly droning nearby. It had been some time since I told her I was on my way to her apartment and she said that she was almost ready.

But that was ten minutes ago...

Not that I was in a rush or anything. Our reservations weren't due for another hour. Perhaps I was being impatient. No, I knew better than that. I was nervous. I tried not to let it show, but I couldn't help it. This was a first for me. Probably not for her, but definitely for me. With my life being devoted to the defeat of the Gears, women have never been a factor in my life. I met few on my journeys and as my nature; I have always strove to be polite.

But never an actual relationship...

I sighed and I looked over the white suit I was wearing, complemented with a blue shirt and tie. I wasn't too used to wearing suits of such a kind and my unconscious tugging on it was proof of that. Normally, I would be wearing plainer clothes. But then again, normally we would meet in a small cafe in town around the afternoon hours. I first met her there some months ago and we talked. At the time, I had relinquished my duties as a police officer in order to reestablish the Sacred Order. I had stopped to in the cafe for a cup of tea; a change in my usual routine. And as it would have it, I had run into her once again in the same place, escaping the rain outside. We shared a table and talked a bit after which she left.

And I followed...and kissed her...

I didn't know what I was doing at the time, but I realized that I had cared for her. I had for some time after our second meeting. Perhaps I had acted rashly, but she didn't see it that way. I realized this from the way see looked at me...

The way we looked at each other...

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Ky."

I blinked out of my revere, only to be put in a trance. Millia stood on top of the stairway, dressed in a light blue gown with thin, almost invisible straps. Her hair was tied loosely, allowing her eyes to show while keeping her hair waving against her shoulders. A small smile was on her face and it was then I realized that my face must have appeared to be quite silly. But I couldn't help it.

_She was...angelic..._

_

* * *

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_**Millia POV**_

The look on his face was just priceless; I couldn't help but smile. It was just so sweet to see. I watched as he began to come back to reality and began descending from the stairs. I held my smile while examining the clothes he was wearing. I must say, they suit him nicely. _Very nicely..._ Like a knight in shining in shining armor, which was more true for him than anything. Once a former knight of the Holy Order and then a former officer, he had returned to reestablish the Order so that he could enforce the peace. It was something he devoted his life to. Even now, he still wore the belt buckle that was normally attached to his battle gear, with the word 'Hope' inscribed in it. He had told her that each knight, when they reach a certain level, chooses a word in which to live by and what to give to the world around them. I guess that due to the wars, Ky found it fitting to choose hope.

But enough of the past...

Ky had returned to his usual serene self, smiling as I came near to him. He stood before me and held out his hand, to which I gave mine.

"Evening, my lady." Bowing slightly, he kissed my hand lightly. It always makes me feel special when he does that, even though he always makes me feel that. I finally let out a small chuckle as he looked back up at me.

"Polite as always." His eyes... I really have to stop staring, but I couldn't help it at times. It was like looking at a crystal. More like a mirror... Suppressing a blush, I held onto his arm.

"Shall we?"

Nodding, I took his arm and we headed for the restaurant. I had an idea of where we were heading, since I'd seen it in the area. But I've never had the time to check it out, nor did it really occur to me. The sun was just beginning to set, leaving the sky a dark orange-violet. My gaze soon lowered to my companion, noticing that his head neatly outlined in the fading light, almost as though he had a halo on his head. That seemed to be a typical impression of him. Charismatic in nature, he won the respect of his fellow knights as well as a few of his opponents, myself included, because of it. But just because he was that way was no reason to think that he was weak. If anything, it was one of his greatest strengths, one that I was grateful to witness firsthand. When we first met, I was bitter at myself. Bitter at everything, actually. The man that I trusted with everything betrayed me and I sought revenge. During my journey in the tournament, I met up with Ky, who was on his own mission at the time as well. I long knew who he was. As an assassin, it was my job to know these things in case I ran across opposition during a mission. Despite this, I didn't care. We fought and I was defeated, but he wasn't even trying. I felt so utterly crushed I would have broken down. But he offered to help me and even though I refused, I was softened by his genuine concern. It stayed with me throughout my journey and I believed it influenced the outcome of my quest, allowing me to finish it with a renewed sense of hope.

_Go figure..._

As we continued on our way, I was beginning to feel a little nervous. This was our first official date, I guess. If that wasn't bad enough, I had just now realized that this was _my_ first date. There wasn't a need for such activities in the Guild, aside from using some social occasions in order to get close to a target. Never for actual enjoyment. Even now, I was wondering why I asked him for this. At the time I figured that this would be a interesting change of pace. After that day when we met in the cafe, we would meet there cafe every week, talking and conversing with each other every afternoon. When I asked, Ky agreed, in his usual fashion.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

_Dinner? You mean...like a date?_

_Yes. We've been seeing each other for months, so I thought, why not?_

_Ky?_

_I'm sorry. It's just that... I accept your invitation, Millia._

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

We were silent for the trip there, but that was okay. I needed to sort out my thoughts anyway and I guessed that he did too. He had that look on his face after all, heh. I smiled briefly; it was nice to see him that way. I could watch at him without him knowing it. Whenever he looked at me, it was like I was seeing more than I needed to. Or perhaps it was that image of myself I see reflected in his eyes.

I wonder what he saw in mine...

_

* * *

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_**Ky POV**_

_Angelic..._ I still couldn't get my mind off the way she looked. The way she looked... I was more than a little nervous now. It was bordering on fear. I had never seen her like this before. She was always beautiful to me. Who am I kidding? She was beautiful, period. Not a time goes by when another man would stare at her attentively on the streets when we would have out luncheons. I know many don't mean to, but it can't be helped. She was truly a vision of loveliness. And now, in those clothes, well words do little to describe her.

"Relax, officer." she said with a wink. "You seem tense."

I smiled. She was good at discerning how I was feeling, whether it showed on my face or not. "Sorry. I just...well...you..."

She tilted her head to the side. "What?"

No sense in beating around the bush. "You look incredible."

Her face lit up with a smile. "Why, thank you. You don't look too bad yourself, Ky."

I smiled back, albeit nowhere near as beautifully as hers and I looked backed forward. To my surprise, we had already arrived at the restaurant. It came highly recommended and many of my fellow officers attested to that as well. As we approached, I moved to open the door for her. She gave me one of her half grateful-half mocking grins. I couldn't help being the way I was and she knew that. We entered inside and gave our names to the waiter, who in turn showed us to our seats. Sitting down, we gave our order and he left off to get them.

"Quite a place, huh Ky?"

"Quite." In truth, this had cost me a great deal of money and getting reservations was no easy task either. Luckily, I had managed to book a spot on this night and time and had a good amount to get a suit as well. But I didn't mind. I really didn't need much to go on. Besides, this was worth it, as long as it was for her.

_Only her..._

_

* * *

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_**Millia POV**_

_'He's thinking again.'_ Judging by the way his eyes slightly spaced out, I could tell that much. But I dare not look further. I might get lost in those eyes of his...again. It was becoming a common event between us. He would look over at me and I would find myself looking back until eventually our eyes met. Then...I'm not sure what happens, except that time had no meaning there. I've got to shake this off. Time to get on the offensive.

"What are you thinking?"

His eyes widened, showing that he had come out of his revere. "Oh, uhh... nothing. Just admiring the scenery."

I looked upward. "Well, you picked a great place for dinner."

"Actually...I...I..."

I raised an eyebrow to him. "What?"

"I wasn't referring to the restaurant."

"Oh, then wha...?"

I must have been dense. He was referring to me. Those beautiful blue eyes of his had me locked and I was trapped staring into them. The waiter had come with our dinners, but hadn't noticed. I was still frozen in place with him staring back at me. After all this time, he was still able to do this to me. I felt so warm and yet so nervous. Sometimes I didn't know if I was enjoying his gazes or fearing them.

"Thank you."

I leaned over and gave him a short kiss on the cheek. Coming back, I turned to my meal, although I could never fully turn away from him. It seemed that I had the same effect on him, for her was trying to eat, but always looking back at me every three seconds. I never thought I could be with a man like this. I was trained to prepare for death, but I never thought about life.

At least not until he came along...

_

* * *

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_**Ky POV**_

I felt so much like a little child. Whenever she looked at me like that, I would always just forget everything except her. It was like she had me under a spell and I was helpless to resist. Even now, I couldn't look away from her for long. I wonder if this amused her. Strangely enough, I hoped so. I remembered how she was before. So cold and sad... I didn't like seeing her like that and kind of made it a personal mission to see her smile.

A mission I am glad to have succeeded in…

After dinner, we walked out of the restaurant and onto the streets. I wanted to take her to a park that was in the area and we proceeded on, going through the streets back where we had come from. As I looked up into the sky, I linked my arm around hers. I had intended it as a courtesy, but it felt like something more. Especially when she leaned closer to me. I was just glad it was dark.

The moon was shining amidst a veil of dark clouds. I frowned lightly. I had wanted to get the reservations at an earlier date when the sky was clear. But this was the only time for it. It wasn't that it wasn't a beautiful night; I guess I just wanted it to be perfect.

"There."

Millia had just indicated the park area. I usually pass by it during my afternoon hours. But in the evening, its loveliness made me question why I never came here at night. I didn't realize notice that she was leading me down the small path, until we had reached a bench in the middle of the park. We sat down together and simply stared upward at the sky. Nothing had changed. The clouds were still there, but so was the moon, peering through the darkness.

"A nice night, huh?"

I lowered my head slightly. _'Can she just read my thoughts?'_ "I suppose so."

I noticed her smile. "You don't have to hide it. I know you don't like it."

"No, it's not that. It's just..." I looked back up into the sky. "I was hoping for a clearer night."

"I don't know. This seems just right." she answered.

I sighed lightly. If she liked it, then it was enough for me. I was so intent at looking in the sky that I hadn't noticed the shift of warmth that came over my shoulder. When I came to my senses, I had realized that she was leaning on my shoulder. I froze instantly for a moment, but gradually I began to relax.

_This was...nice._

**_

* * *

_****_Millia POV_**

_This is nice..._

I'm not sure what compelled me to lean onto Ky, but I couldn't deny the feelings it sent through me. Ky had always evoked these within me and it was become so common that I simply allowed them to be. I already knew that I cared for him, but how much? Was it love...? I wasn't sure. At first, I thought it was. After all, the man had just kissed me and I was so overwhelmed... But while I did care for Ky deeply, I didn't want to mistake my feelings for him. I had made that mistake once already and I couldn't afford to be that naive again.

Not even with a guy like Ky...

I decided to put the thoughts to rest and gaze back up into the skies. The clouds were still there, but so was the moon, fighting through the darkness of the night. It seemed poetic, in a strange sort of way. I curved an eye up to Ky. He seemed more relaxed now. That was good; he needed to relax. It was one of the reason I asked for this dinner (albeit a lesser reason). Ky may be a gentleman, but he can be such a stiff at times. I guess the two just go together.

"May I ask you something, Millia?"

"Always." _'Always? Did I really say that?'_

"Please don't take this the wrong way. I've enjoyed this time with you very much. But…"

I knew he was trying to be polite, but sometimes he had to just come out and say it. "Why did I ask for this?" I finished. I felt him nod and answered. "I just felt like it's something we should've done. After all, we've been seeing each other for a couple of months now."

I can sense his eyes on me, giving me one of his looks, as though he was trying to peer into my mind. I wasn't completely honest and he knew it. But he wouldn't say anything. Another thing I liked about him. He wouldn't press. He would wait for me to answer on my own time. But at the same time, that made me feel a little guilty that I could just be openly honest with him. It was just my nature. I'm just glad he understood me. There were few in the world that was like him. Okay fine, no one was like him. He was truly one of a kind.

And that made me fond of him all the more…

"The truth is… The truth is that…"

A low clap suddenly sounded above us and it was followed by rumble of thunder. We quickly rose up from our seats at the warning of the approaching rain. Since my house was in the area, we decided to head there. The rain came faster than we thought and by the time we reached the apartment, we were well wet from the rain.

"Well that was a surprise."

"It sure was." I replied, pulling Ky's jacket off my head. Despite being wet, I was actually…quite giddy. I couldn't believe it, but I enjoyed running to escape the rain with Ky. But maybe that was just me. Looking at Ky, I saw he was a total mess. Without his jacket, Ky wasn't just wet; he was drenched. Even as he stood, water was practically pouring off of him onto the rug at the door front. Sheepishly, he looked down at himself.

"Sorry about this."

I smiled at him and told him to wait there until I got a towel. He tried to dry himself and partly succeeded. But his shirt would not dry off as easily as his head.

"Give me your shirt."

_

* * *

__**Ky POV**_

"Give me your shirt."

I hesitated for a moment but then I unbuttoned my shirt and handed it to her. She was still for a moment and then turned around quickly to set it in the bathroom to dry. _'Was she…blushing?'_ No. It wasn't something she did. _Was it?_ Now that I thought about it, the reason I hesitated was out of embarrassment. I didn't know why though. It wasn't as if I was wearing nothing underneath. But still…

"It looks like it's going to be awhile."

Millia had returned from the back, looking toward the window. I looked as well and saw the rain outside pouring on continuously.

"I guess we're stuck here for now."

She gave no reply and simply stared out the window. _'Did I do something wrong?'_ She didn't seen upset. Perhaps I was being oversensitive. Or was there something else?

"Is something the matter?"

She turned to me and gave a light wave. "Oh, nothing. Just drifted off there a bit." She began to go past me. "Let me get some tea ready."

Unconsciously, I grabbed her hand. "You've done much for me already. Let me, please."

She began to turn to look at me, but stopped halfway. "No. This is my house and you are my guest." She paused. "Besides, you're the one who's done much for me tonight."

In that exchange, I noticed two things. One, she was trembling. It was very slight, but steady enough for me to notice. _'Was she afraid?'_ That wasn't logical. But maybe it had something to do with number two: I was still holding her arm. It was warm and slender in my grip and I let go immediately for fear I might break it. Not that that would have happened anyway, but still… The warmth in my palm faded into the cool air as she left for the kitchen. I decided to simply sit down and wait. Yet I couldn't get over the feel of her arm, her skin and one more thought. A dreadful thought and a pleasing thought all at once…

_I wanted to feel more…_

_

* * *

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_**Millia POV**_

_What was wrong with me?_ I held a hand over my chest as I tried to calm myself. The kettle of water began to whistle and steam, but I paid little mind to it. Why was I feeling like this? I felt a little dizzy. But why? Just because I was close to Ky? No. Or because I was close to Ky wearing less than usual? That was crazy, but somehow I knew it was true. I still remembered how he smelled. The rain had stuck to him so that he smelled fresh. Figures, only he could make himself more appealing by rain. But I already knew that much.

_He had kissed me in the rain…_

I remember that moment vividly, right down to the touch of his lips. I had never felt so lost and yet so alive. And his smile…it was like heaven had opened up and I was with an angel. My angel… The whistle of the kettle broke into my thoughts and I moved to make the tea. I had to calm my thoughts. Sure, I liked Ky…a lot, but I was still unsure of my exact feelings. What I knew for sure was that I wanted to be around him more. I knew enough to know that these weren't the feelings of love. More like lust…

_Whoa…_

I've never thought of it that way. Or about him. He seemed so pure, so it never crossed my mind. I decided right there and then to put the thought out of my mind. Sure this had been a wonderful night, but I shouldn't let it go too far with wayward thinking. I finished making the tea and took it back into the room on a plate. Ky was sitting on the couch and staring out into the rain, serene as always. _'Keep it together.'_ I reminded myself as I moved it. He turned to me and his face brightened. That was something I never really noticed. He was…happy to see me. I restrained a blush as I set the tray down on the coffee table and poured in the tea.

"Thank you."

I nodded as I soon poured in my own cup and sat down opposite of him. I took a sip, again trying not to look at his eyes, but wound up looking toward him anyway. Luckily, he was still sipping his own tea so his eyes were closed. He lowered the cup, but his eyes remained closed and he was facing forward.

"Honey."

I nodded to him. "Yes. I found it works better than sugar. How do you like it?"

His eyes opened slowly, revealing those eyes of his in a dreamily state.

"Sweet."

My heart began to race and I broke away my eyes away from his gaze. I didn't know how much more of this I could take. I didn't even know why I was going through this. Here I was, once trained in the deadly arts of the assassin, to be cold, ruthless and without feeling. To ignore and control my emotions at will. And all of that failed when faced with those eyes and that face.

"Don't what?"

I hadn't realized that I had spoken. But when reality returned, I realized that I had. I held my head lowered, shying away from his eyes.

"Don't say things like that."

"Like what?"

The confused tone in his voice told me that he really didn't know what I was talking about. I'm acting foolish.

"Never mind. It's nothing."

But I can sense his gaze still on me. My hand tensed over the half-emptied cup and I made up my mind. Ignoring my fears, I lifted my eyes to him and stared back, hard. His eyes showed his worry and I softened my gaze. Again I was acting foolishly. Ky wasn't an enemy. And now that our gazes were holding, that became increasingly evident.

"Please, tell me."

_

* * *

__**Ky POV**_

"Please, tell me."

She seemed, I'm not sure the word…agitated? Since she came back from the kitchen, she seemed to have been avoiding eye contact. That was fine by me at first, since I didn't want to look stupid. But the fact that she was doing so purposely gotten my attention. Until now… Because right now, she was looking right at me. My heart felt like it was being held over an open fire and my earlier question seemed irrelevant. But it still remained and she was still looking.

"I…Ky." She paused. "What are your feelings for me?"

I blinked. "I…I don't under…"

"Yes you do." she cut in softly. "If it's one thing I can tell with you, is how you're feeling. I just want to hear it in your own words."

I stayed quiet for a moment, wondering just how to answer this. In the end, I chose to just answer honestly. It was the one thing we always wanted from one another, despite what it could be. I lowered my eyes to the half-filled cup in front of me and began.

"Honestly, I wish I were certain. We've known each other for a long time and have been together for months. I've never had a relationship like this before and I an uncertain to my own feelings."

"I see."

Sensing her darkened tone, I continued. "Let me finish. What I do know is that whenever I'm around you, I feel more alive than ever, yet scared as well. It's sometime difficult to grasp, but the one thing I do know for certain is that…" I lifted my eyes to her again. "…I care about you very much, Millia."

Now it was her turn to remain quiet, albeit, her eyes had widened a bit. Was what I said that surprising? Did she not feel the same? A couple of other thoughts began entering my mind, all negative, but I quieted them. Then, after a long second, she smiled at me. Wow, could she smile…

"I knew I could count on you, Ky."

She leaned over the table and gave be a light kiss on the cheek. She began to pull back, but stopped midway. I didn't know if see was going to say something or if she had seen something over my shoulder. Either way, this resulted in us being face to face.

Because of our proximity, I didn't even move and neither did she. We just sat there, transfixed on each other. I smelled the sweet scent of her hair, heard her heavily growing breathing, and saw the light crystal eyes all at once. It was so unreal and yet very much real. I wasn't even paying attention to myself as the darkness came over me and I found myself tasting the honey that was in the tea. But this was far different.

_The honey taste was from her lips…_

_

* * *

__**Millia POV**_

The world seemed to whirl around me and for a while I thought I was dreaming. But the rainfall scent and taste of honey was clear, along with the beating of my heart. Ky was kissing me. Or was I kissing him? It wasn't like I hadn't kissed him before. On the contrary, we had done this a couple of times now. But they were usually short and sweet.

_This one was…different…_

Our eyes were open on each other and I thought he would have backed away. I would have. I should have. I could have.

_But I didn't…_

Because deep down, this is what I had been wanting for all night. I didn't realize that until now, but I just wanted this feeling, this closeness. I had been trying to repress my feelings, but I couldn't do it any longer. I closed my eyes and pressed on. I wanted to just throw my thoughts away, but I had this nagging worry that it would end too soon, that Ky would realize what was happening and back off, mutter an apology and then leave. So you could imagine my surprise when he deepened the kiss. My heart raced on and my need to be close became urgent. I shifted my body close to Ky and my arms quickly found their way around his neck. I hungrily pressed on, searching his lips without restraint. I was in heaven…

_And I wanted more…_

His arms encircled around me and I could feel his heart beating as wildly as mine. Does this mean…Ky wanted this too? I was asking too many questions. Right now, I just wanted to enjoy this. And since he was enjoying that too, I will have to make this better. I locked my lower lip with his and parted my lips, allow us to kiss open mouthed. Again, Ky surprised me by joining in willingly, creating a very fiery embrace between us.

_More…_

My tongue darted in his mouth. I guess that was too much for him because I felt him tense up a bit. I guess its over… But surprise again, Ky joined in as well, licking my lower lip as we parted briefly. I allowed him to enter my mouth and then all was lost. I began to lose my sense of self, my surroundings, everything except this wonderful embrace I was sharing with a man I…

_

* * *

__**Ky POV**_

_Who am I?_ I had lost myself in this…this… I didn't even know how to describe it now. It wasn't a kiss; that's for sure. This was far more passionate, more intimate, more…

_Seductive…_

And as her mouth and tongue ran along with mine, I held her closer, wanting to feel more of her. Her chest snuggled softly against my body and her fragrance fueled my desire. I never knew I could feel this way. It was as though my entire body was enflamed, driven by her soft touches and sweet scent. It was almost too much for my mind to process. My hands began moving around, slowly massaging her back. I could hear faint moaning coming from her and her kissing grew more feverous. I found myself working up to pace, causing her to moan a little more, her body to press closer and mine growing…more excited.

"Millia…"

I was only able to get that out before she came again. I could practically feel the passion in her as she kissed me and I strove to return the favor. Her moaning became steady, telling me that she was enjoying this…as much as I was. I couldn't stop myself. This feeling was overflowing and I felt great yearning come over me.

_A yearning…for her…_

As she broke away again, I moved in, pushing her down on the couch and into another embrace. A short muffle came from her throat, but that soon changed into a pleasing, throaty purr. I could feel her fingers twirling in my hair a bit and her body writhing lightly under mine in an effort to press closer to me.

_Why?_

That seemed like a stupid question. But at this moment, all questions were irrelevant. Everything was, except for her. Her lips, her scent, her soft body…

_Huh?_

Through the waves of pleasure that were coursing through me, these simple questions kept popping into my mind. I wanted them to stop; they were interfering with us.

_Between us? What was…happening…?_

Her hands curved downward around my ribs, tickling me slightly. But I wasn't enjoying it. My reason suddenly forced its way into my mind. I couldn't do this. I knew what would happen if this kept up and I couldn't…

"Ky?"

I opened my eyes to see Millia staring up at me, crystalline eyes full of concern. I felt panicked and unsure, being over her the way I was right now.

"Millia…I…I…"

She stared up at me for seemed to be an eternity. I didn't know what to say or what to do. But as always, she seemed to know just what I was thinking, even when I didn't.

"It's okay, Ky. I'm…not ready for this either."

I didn't know what to say and merely lifted myself off of her; my face feeling like it was on fire. She sat up and we sat there in a awkward silence. Then I heard her say…

"It's still raining. I guess you'll spend the night here."

_'Spend the night?'_

_

* * *

__**Millia POV**_

I left the room some time afterward to grab a pillow and some blankets for Ky, leaving him on the couch (Beet-faced, by the way). But the moment he was out of range, I slid down against the wall and held myself tight. I could still feel his lips pressing hotly against mine, his body covering over me, the steady beating of his heart that synched with mine… It was all so intense. And I wanted it. I was scared, nearly terrified, but God, I wanted him badly. I didn't realize it until that kiss how much. Perhaps it was because of the type of man that he was. He embodied the term Holy Knight and with it, he carried an aura of purity.

_But he was still a man…_

I saw the lust in his eyes, heard the desire in his breathing. He had wanted me just as badly. But he held back. It must have taken all of his willpower to stop himself. It couldn't have been fear alone. He was scared, I knew, but so was I. And I didn't care.

_And that was the most terrifying part…_

I struggled to compose myself and slowly rose up from the floor to get the articles for Ky. When I returned to the living room, Ky was still sitting where he was, eyes downcast.

"Perhaps…I should leave."

I expected that. He probably felt like he forced himself on me, even though we both know that wasn't the truth. In all seriousness, I'm not even sure which of us initiated it. It just…happened. Still, that was no reason to do something drastic. The rain was pouring out side and I'm sure that his shirt and jacket were far from dry. And the closest place he could get from here was his HQ, which was quite a distance away. He'd be drenched by the time he reached it. And this was unsafe weather to be driving in anyway.

"Ky…" I looked for the words, but nothing came out. _Come on. Not now. _I struggled with myself until I was able to force out.

"Don't be silly. Stay."

Well, that wasn't exactly the best choice of words, but it was the only thing I could manage. I couldn't stay like this though, frozen in front of him like a statue. I tossed him the blanket and pillow and turned around to my own room.

"Good night."

I shut the door and leaned against it. I was a bit weary, but truthfully, I just wanted to hear if he would stay. There were light motions in the room, but none of them being the door. That told me that he had accepted my offer. But now that I knew this, I felt a little dismayed. I was in here and Ky was in there. We may have gotten into something beyond us, but I didn't want it to be like this. But perhaps it was for the best. I concluded that we just needed a little time to think. With that, I began to remove my dress and put on my nightgown. I settled onto the bed and, after looking at the door again, I flicked the lights off and lay down to sleep.

_And the bed felt... strangely cold…_

_

* * *

__**Ky POV**_

I stared up at the ceiling for what felt like hours. It was actually one hour, but it stretched out for such a long time. I didn't notice it at first. I was lost in thought. How could I have done that to her? I failed to exercise control and tried to take advantage of her. But if that was true, why did she let me remain? I sighed beside myself. I knew the truth. I wanted her, desperately…and she felt the same. But it was more than lust and desire. There was…something there.

_Something more…_

I sighed again and gazed over at the door of her bedroom. The place felt cold, or more or less, it lacked warmth. Her warmth… More than ever, I felt the lack of her visible presence. Her eyes, her smile, just her… She was in the next room and yet I was missing her. It sounded silly, I know, but I couldn't help it. I loved her.

'_Huh?'_

The thought came right out of nowhere, but it was undeniable. But how could that be? I didn't know what love was. When we first kissed, I had thought that I loved her and even though that was partly true, I couldn't say that it was true love. But now… I shook my head and clicked off the light. Maybe I should just rest and let my mind clear. I closed my eyes and let the dripping rain outside dull me to sleep. But despite the soothing sound, the coolness of the room confronted me. I tightened the blanket around me and I could get a faint trace of her scent coming from it. Amazingly, this made me feel warmer than the blanket itself.

_Millia…_

I sighed a third time. _So much for clearing my mind._ She was always in it. I still wanted her; wanted her closeness, her beauty. I never truly realized it, but now that I thought about it, this was how I felt every week since I met her. Our luncheons at the café were so enjoyable; I often wondered why we'd part afterward. And when we did, I always fought the urge to go after her. And then throughout the week, I looked forward to the next meeting. It occupied my mind constantly; to see her again.

I was so into my thoughts that I didn't hear the soft creaking of a door, or the stealthy steps that came near me. But I felt it. An aura… Her aura… My eyes snapped open and there she was, standing over me like an angel.

"Millia…?"

Her eyes seemed uncertain as she looked down at me. I moved the blanket off to stand and talk, but she held her hand down, stilling me for no reason. Was she trembling?

"Ky…" She wanted to say something, but they just never reached her lips. But I saw it in her eyes. It was a beautiful sight to behold. I smiled at her and she smiled in return. I saw the uncertainty lift from her and she continued.

"I couldn't sleep. May I join you?"

_

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__**Millia POV**_

I fully expected his face to turn red. For that matter, I expected that mine do the same for once. But I wasn't embarrassed. Anxious maybe, but not nervous. I had been lying down in my bed for a good part of the hour, but sleep evaded me. All I could think of was him. His eyes, his face… I didn't know what else to do, so I decided to simply follow my feelings, whatever they were.

Looking down at him, I was half surprised that he not only nodded to my suggestion, but he opened the blanket and backed further into the couch to give me room. Fighting away my anxiety, I sat down and soon lay down in front of him, with my back to his chest. He pulled the blanket over us and I felt his arm lightly drape around my waist. The warmth of his body soothed me instantly. But it was more than that. It was him; his presence; his aura.

"Ky?"

His reply was light. "Yes?"

This was it. It would never get any better than this moment. I still didn't know what to say, but then again, Ky didn't exact know what to hear. So I simply spoke the truth. The same truth that I was going to say when we were in the park.

"I don't know if I love you. But I am in love with you. I just…I want you to know that."

There. I said it. Out loud. There would be no misunderstanding now. While it would some take time for us to develop our feelings fully, I knew this much for certain.

_I was in love with Ky Kiske…_

I felt his arm squeeze around me, drawing me closer (if that was at all possible). But he didn't say anything in return. That didn't matter. I knew what I felt and he knew it too. The next move would be his. And he wouldn't have to anyway.

"Goodnight, Ky."

I felt his face nudge close to mine and his lips were right next to my ear. Sleep was beginning to overcome me, but I heard his words clearly. I know this because the last thing I did before I slept was smile.

"Goodnight, my _love_."


End file.
